William Chamberlayne
William Chamberlayne (1619 - 11 July 1679) was an English poet and physician.Chamberlayne, William, Encyclopædia Britannica 1911, 5, 820. Wikiource, Web, 2017. Note that the DNB puts his death at January 1689. Bullen, 10. Life Overview Chamberlayne practised medicine at Shaftesbury. On the outbreak of the Civil War he joined the Royalists and fought at the 2nd battle of Newbury. He wrote a play, Loves Victory (1658), and an epic Pharonnida (1659). With occasional beauties he is, in the main, heavy and stiff, and is almost forgotten. He influenced Keats.John William Cousin, "Chamberlayne, William," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature, 1910, 78. Web, Dec. 24, 2017. Biography Chamberlayne was the 2nd son of Warder Chamberlayne of Hindon. Little is known of his history except that he practised medicine at Shaftesbury in Dorset, and fought on the Royalist side in the civil war.William Chamberlayne, English Poets, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities], Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, May 9, 2016. During the war he was distinguished for his loyalty to Charles I; and it appears from a passage at the close of the 2nd book of ‘Pharonnida’ that he wan present at the 2nd battle of Newbury.Bullen, 10. In 1658 he published Love's Victory: A tragi-comedy, 4to, dedicated to Sir William Portman, bart. There are some fine passages in the play, and plenty of loyal sentiment. An alteration, under the title of Wits led by the Nose, or a Poet's Revenge, was acted at the Theatre Royal in 1678, and printed in the some year. In 1659 appeared Pharonnida: An heroick poem, 8vo. The dedication to Sir William Portman, dated from Shaftesbury 12 May 1659, is followed by an "epistle to the reader," in which Chamberlayne stated that "Fortune had placed him in too low a sphear to be happy in the acquaintance of more celebrated wits." In 1660, at the Restoration, Chamberlayne published "England’s Jubile; or, A poem on the happy return of his Sacred Majesty Charles the Second," 4to, 8 pp. He died in January 1689, and was buried at Shaftesbury in the churchyard of the Holy Trinity. Writing Pharonnida is in rhymed heroics; there are 5 books and 4 cantos to each book. As the 4th book commences with fresh pagination and in different type, it has been conjectured that the printing wus interrupted by the author's employment in the wars. In spite of its diffuseness and intricacy, the story is interesting; and much of the poetry is remarkable for happy imagery and rich expression. Both in its faults and in its beauties Pharonnida, bears considerable resemblance to Endymion. The visionary 5th canto appears to pay homage to Spenser in the form of allusions to the garden of Adonis and Alma's Castle episodes. Southey imitated Chamberlayne imitating Spenser in his first major poem, Joan of Arc, in an allegorical passage later extracted as "The Vision of the Maid of Orleans." Southey warmly admired Pharonnida, and in a note to his "Vision of the Maid of Orleans" (Poems, 1-vol. ed. 1850, p. 79) speaks of Chamberlayne as "a poet to whom I am indebted for many hours of delight." A romance founded on Pharonnida was published in 1683, under the title title of Eromona, or the Noble stranger. In 1820 Pharonnida was reprinted in 3 volumes. 12mo. Recognition In the churchyard of the Holy Trinity at Sheftesbury, where Chamberlayne was buried, a monument was erected to him by his son Valentine Chamberlayne. Publications Poetry *''Pharonnida: A heroick poem. London: Robert Clavell, 1659. *England's Jubile; or, A poem of the happy return of His Sacred Majesty Charles the II. London: Robert Clavell, 1660. Play *Love's Victory: A tragi-comedy. London: E. Cotes, for Robert Clavell, 1658 **also printed as ''Wit's Led by the Nose; or, A poet's revenge: A tragi-comedy. London: William Cook, 1678; London: Langley Curtis, 1678. Novel *''Eromena; or, The noble stranger'' (prose version of Pharonnida, possibly by Chamberlayne). London: James Norris, 1683. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Chamberlayne, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, May 9, 2016. See also * List of British poets References * Wikisource, Web, Dec. 24, 2017. Notes External links ;Poems *[http://spenserians.cath.vt.edu/TextRecord.php?action=GET&textsid=33591 Pharonnida: A heroick poem, Canto V] * William Chamberlayne at PoemHunter (from "Pharonnida") *William Chamberlayne at Poetry Nook (25 poems) ;About *Chamberlayne, William in the [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|1911 Encyclopædia Britannica]] *William Chamberlayne at English Poetry, 1579-1830 * Chamberlayne, William Category:1619 births Category:1689 deaths Category:People from Shaftesbury Category:English poets Category:17th-century English medical doctors Category:Cavaliers Category:17th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets